My twenty-year-old daughter needs her wisdom teeth extracted. She has gone through a difficult year and I want to find a way to make this as pain-free for her as possible without putting her in any additional risk. The idea of anesthesia makes me nervous, but if that is the best thing for her, I will do it.

Gina

Dear Gina,

I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s rough year. It is great that she has a caring mother like you to try to ease what she can for her. I haven’t examined your daughter, so I do not know the details of her case. At her age, there has not been time for the cementum to accumulate at the roots of her teeth. This makes everything fairly pliable and uncomplicated. There should be no reason for her to need anesthesia, which has additional risks and complications. It will be fine for her to use oral conscious sedation. If your dentist is suggesting anesthesia when you approached him, I would recommend a second opinion. It would take an unusually complicated case to warrant anesthesia.

With oral conscious sedation, your daughter will take a simple pill. It is strong enough that she can sleep completely through the procedure. She will need your (or someone else) to drive her to and from her appointment, as well as stay with her for a few hours at home until she is lucid and stable on her feet. The two of you can sit around and watch some of your favorite movies while she rests. She’ll be up and around in no time.

If your dentist doesn’t offer oral conscious sedation, just do an internet search for a sedation dentist. I hope this helps put your mind at ease.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.